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This 19th century mahogany cheval mirror is among the lots from Howth Castle at Sean Eacrett’s online sale from Ballybrittas, Co. Laois on July 9. The sale includes a number of lots from the attics and basements at Howth Castle. The mirror illustrated here, lot 295, is estimated at €300-€500. There are 720 lots in the auction, which includes contents from houses in Kildare, Dublin and Wicklow.
ONE of the most historic items at the Howth Castle sale, the great sword of Howth, made a hammer price of 40,000 at day two of Fonsie Mealy’s Howth Castle contents sale today. It has been estimated at 10,000-15,000. The auctioneer announced that it would be staying in Ireland. According to tradition, it was used by Sir Armoricus Tristram, who arrived at Howth with Sir John de Courcy in the year 1177. It has been in the St Lawrence family for many generations and a more sober assessment dates the sword to the late 15th century, so it may well have been borne by Sir Armoricus’s descendant Sir Nicholas St Lawrence, 16th Lord & 3rd Baron Howth. He commanded the “billmen” (wielders of a fearsome chopping blade mounted on a strong staff) at the battle of Knockdoe in 1504, in which the army of the Lord Deputy, the Earl of Kildare, defeated that of Ulick Burke, Lord of Clanricarde. The Sword is first recorded in an inventory of 1748.
Again on the second day of the sale at Howth Castle there was competitive bidding from Ireland and abroad for once off items of rarity. A George IV silver gilt model of the Warwick Vase by Philip Rundell, London, 1820 made 24,000 at hammer and an Irish William IV silver gilt Warwick Vase by Richard Sawyer junior Dublin 1836 made 23,000. Each had been estimated at 8,000-12,000. An Irish George II silver salver by John Hamilton, Dublin 1726-27 made 21,000 over a top estimate of 7,000. A jewel cut breast star of The Most Illustrious Order of St. Patrick together with a small ceremonial sword made 32,000 at hammer over a top estimate of 10,000. William Ulick Tristram St. Lawrence, 4th Earl of Howth (1827-1909) was appointed knight of the order in May 1884.
THE sale realised €2.1 million.
THE opening day of the sale of contents from Howth Castle exceeded all expectations. There has been huge international interest in an auction of contents from a home that has been in the same family for 800 years. Again and again prime lots far exceeded the top estimate. Late in the day a pair of early 18th century Delft vases sold for 38,000 at hammer, 38 times the top estimate of 1,000. A pair of c1738 Irish carved giltwood and gesso side tables made 168,000 over a top estimate of 50,000.
An important mid 18th century Irish decanter stand sold for a hammer price of 48,000 at Fonsie Mealy’s sale. As was the case with many lots this was after a battle between a telephone bidder, probably Irish, and an internet bidder from the UK. It went to the internet. Regarded as one of the finest examples of early Irish furniture it had been estimated at 20,000-30,000. A set of prehistoric Giant Irish Elk antlers and skull made 23,000 on the hammer over a top estimate of 18,000. The Georgian mahogany dining table on two quadruple centre pods and two outer tripod bases made 29,000 at hammer and the full length portrait of Jonathan Swift by Francis Bindon made a hammer price of 234,000 which was less than the estimate of 300,000-500,000. The good news is that an Irish bidder fought off international competition and this painting will be staying in Ireland.
A Louis XVI French ormolu mantel clock by Regnault of Paris with two matching candlesticks – a gift from Marie Antoinette to her lady in waiting Marie Therese de Barmont – made 28,000 at hammer. It had been estimated at 4,000-6,000. An allegorical 18th century Irish School relief depicting the taking in 1575 of Lord Howth’s grandson and heir to the castle by Grace O’Malley, Ireland’s pirate queen, made 25,000 at hammer over a top estimate of 12,000. After protracted negotiations the child was returned and one condition was that the gates of Howth should never again be shut at dinner time.
The sale continues on September 9.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 12, August 23, August 31 and September 4, 2021)
Fonsie Mealy’s Howth Castle sale got off to a flying start today as collectors vied for blue a white and coloured Oriental porcelains. A 17th/early 18th century baluster vase and cover made 14,000 at hammer over a top estimate of 3,000. It has a six character mark to the base and is decorated with Royal subjects and attendants. Am 18th century Kangxi blue and white Gu vase with a top estimate of 3,000 made 12,000 on the hammer. An 18th century Famille Rose baluster shaped vase and cover with a top estimate of 1,800 made 4,800 on the hammer. A pair of Nankin blue and white platters with a set of three similar smaller dishes made 1,300 over a top estimate of 450 and two Xiangshi period triple gourd blue and white cafe au lait vases made 3,200 over a top estimate of 1,500. An 18th century blue and white jar and cover decorated with children at play made 7,500 over a top estimate of 1,000 and a large Chinese bronze gilt figure of a Buddha with a top estimate of 1,100 made 2,500. A large Majolica Palissy type oval dish made 8,600 at hammer over a top estimate of 350 and an 18th century bronze incense burner in the shape of a Foo dog with a top estimate of 600 made 5,000 on the hammer.
From Booker mirrors to an original portrait of Jonathan Swift to a clock garniture gift from Marie-Antoinette and a pair of commodes attributed to James Hicks the Howth Castle sale by Fonsie Mealy next week promises to be a humdinger. This auction of 800 years of history for the Gaisford-St. Lawrence family and other important clients offers an appetising variety of antique furniture, art, ceramics, glass and all sorts of historic collectibles like a painted wooden model of HMS Victory, an 18th century Irish School relief of the legend of Grainne Uaile, a mourning dress worn by Queen Victoria and the Great Sword of Howth which has been in the St. Lawrence family for many generations. According to tradition, the sword was used by Sir Armoricus Tristram, who arrived at Howth with Sir John de Courcy in the year 1177 and commanded the Norman army which defeated the local inhabitants. A more sober assessment dates the sword to the late 15th century. It is estimated at €10,000-€15,000.
The live and online auction will take place at the Grand Hotel, Malahide on September 8 and 9 with admission subject to prevailing Covid conditions. The most expensively estimated lot, at €300,000-€400,000, is a unique full length portrait of Jonathan Swift painted in 1735 by Francis Bindon (1690-1765). There is an estimate of €50,000-€70,000 on Bull by Moonlight by Roderic O’Conor and A Birds Eye View of Howth Castle attributed to William Van Der Hagen or Joseph Tudor is estimated at €40,000-€60,000.. There are several Bruxelles and Flemish tapestries and an impressive set of prehistoric Giant Irish Elk antlers and skull.
Among a number of lots certain to attract international interest is a pair of Irish George II carved giltwood and gesso architectural mirrors attributed to John Booker. These are estimated at €50,000-€70,000. A c1738 pair of Irish giltwood and gesso carved side tables believed to have been supplied to the 14th Lord Howth come with an estimate of €30,000-€50,000.A pair of satinwood and bow fronted commodes attributed to James Hicks are estimated at €7,000-€9,000 and a mid 18th century Irish side table is estimated at €8,000-€12,000. A magnificent Georgian mahogany dining table (€30,000-€40,000), a mid 18th century Irish mahogany decanter stand (€20,000-€30,000) and a Gothic Revival side table or alter attributed to Pugin (€4,000-€6,000) are among other remarkable furniture lots.A Louis XVI French ormolu mantel clock by Regnault of Paris with two matching candlesticks was a gift from Marie Antoinette to her lady in waiting Marie Therese de Barmont. Marie Antoinette was 14 at the time of her wedding in 1770, Marie Therese de Barmont was 13. The set is estimated at €4,000-€6,000.
There is silver and plate, militaria, ceramics, porcelain, glassware and some estimates are as low as €80. With more than 970 lots on the catalogue and this truly a sale with something for everyone. Lot 787 is a George IV silver gilt model of the Warwick Vase by Phillip Rundell, London 1820 (€8,000-€12,000), there are early Netherlandish School portraits of the Bishop of Meath George Montgomery and his wife Susan Steyning (€10,000-€15,000) and an early 19th century Cantonese bowl and cover is ex the collection of the O’Briens at Dromoland Castle with an estimate of just €180-€220.The clearance sale of Howth Castle will continue with the sale of the library on September 22 and 23. The castle has been home to the St. Lawrence family since the Norman Invasion. Since 1919 it has been held by the distraff heirs, the Gaisford-St. Lawrences. In 2018 the family agreed to sell the castle, demesne and Ireland’s Eye to the Tetrarch investment group who intend to develop a hotel and a luxury resort. A seven acre portion has been sold to Glenveagh Homes who plan to build 200 apartments.
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 12, 23 and 31)
This magnificent Georgian dining table comes up at the Howth Castle sale by Fonsie Mealy on September 8 and 9 next. It is on two quadruple centre pods, and two outer tripod bases each of outsplayed and reeded form. There is one large and two smaller spare leave insets with original hinged clasps. There has been some restoration to one leaf but otherwise the structure is both solid and good. The estimate is €30,000-€40,000. The online sale of around 950 lots offers furniture, paintings, silver, objets d’art, ceramics, clocks, carpets, rugs, light fittings, militaria and collectibles. UPDATE: THE DINING TABLE MADE 29,000 AT HAMMER
The sale of the library takes place on September 22 and 23. Here is a video about the sale:
(See posts on antiquesandartireland.com for August 12 and August 23, 2021)
This set of Irish Elk antlers comes up at Fonsie Mealy’s two day sale of contents from Howth Castle on September 8 and 9. Irish Elk is the common name for a giant, extinct deer, Megaloceros Giganteus, characterized by enormous antlers. This is the largest deer known to have ever lived. Megaloceros Giganteus appeared for the first time about 400,000 years ago and disappeared about 11,000 years ago. It ranged from Ireland and Great Britain in Western Europe and as far as the Far East as China and Siberia during the Late Pleistocene period. Elk Antlers are a statement item and were placed in many of the big country houses around Ireland. This set is estimated at €12,000-18,000. UPDATE: THESE SOLD FOR 23,000 AT HAMMER.
(See post on antiquesandartireland.com for August 12, 2021)
This portrait of Jonathan Swift by Francis Bindon has been at Howth Castle since 1735 and will come up at Fonsie Mealy’s sale of contents of the castle on September 8 and 9. A second sale of the library at the castle takes place on September 22 and 23. More than 800 lots will come under the hammer in the fine art and antiques sale.
Howth Castle has been the home of the St. Lawrence family since the Norman Invasion. Since 1919 the castle has been held by the distaff heirs, the Gaisford-St. Lawrence family. In 2018 the family announced their agreement to sell the castle, demesne and Ireland’s Eye to the Tetrach investment group who intend to develop an hotel and luxury resort. A seven acre portion has since been sold to Glenveagh homes who plan to build 200 apartments.
